Going back to skis and need advice.

[ski HEAD]

I started both my kids early 18 & 21 months. At first holding a ski pole across my legs. Then as soon as they could stand, with resonable balance, I had them in a leash. It is by far the best way. You can run blocker for the scud missles behind you and if you wrap the right leash strap across the front of their body to the left side and vice versa you can control them without pulling their hip backwards.

 

You can find skis on ebay or I know at Sno their is a bunch of development team parents who are handing down stuff or selling real cheap b/c their kids have outgrown the skis, boots and clothing.

 

Kids skis as well as adults, as a rule of thumb, ski length should be between the middle neck and the tip of your nose.

 

 

I would recommend a good all mt ski, Head's XRC 800 would be a good ski to tool around on. It has about a 12 meter radius at 163 and holds well on hard pack.

 

I would research ski and boot to see what you would like. Shops try to sell what they have, not neccessairly what you need. Saw that one more than once.

I don't know how far you want to go, but seeing a good boot fitter is a great start. They can tell you what lasts would best suit your foot. And they could also size you for the best fit. As a rule of thumb, people buy boots that are too big and too stiff. If you pull out the liner and slide your foot in until it touches the front of the boot, you should not have more than a 3/4" space fron your heel and the back of the shell. I recommend Bill Kaplan for boot fitting, he is doing things in boot fitting that nobody else is even thinking about.

[Ski]

Would I still be able to enjoy shorter skis when I'm out on my own after the little one has retired for the day.

I ski on 155's and 157's every day. Slalom skis are a blast, besides being useful.

 

I started both my kids early 18 & 21 months. At first holding a ski pole across my legs. Then as soon as they could stand, with resonable balance, I had them in a leash. It is by far the best way. You can run blocker for the scud missles behind you and if you wrap the right leash strap across the front of their body to the left side and vice versa you can control them without pulling their hip backwards.

 

You can find skis on ebay or I know at Sno their is a bunch of development team parents who are handing down stuff or selling real cheap b/c their kids have outgrown the skis, boots and clothing.

 

Kids skis as well as adults, as a rule of thumb, ski length should be between the middle neck and the tip of your nose.

 

 

I would recommend a good all mt ski, Head's XRC 800 would be a good ski to tool around on. It has about a 12 meter radius at 163 and holds well on hard pack.

 

I would research ski and boot to see what you would like. Shops try to sell what they have, not neccessairly what you need. Saw that one more than once.

I don't know how far you want to go, but seeing a good boot fitter is a great start. They can tell you what lasts would best suit your foot. And they could also size you for the best fit. As a rule of thumb, people buy boots that are too big and too stiff. If you pull out the liner and slide your foot in until it touches the front of the boot, you should not have more than a 3/4" space fron your heel and the back of the shell. I recommend Bill Kaplan for boot fitting, he is doing things in boot fitting that nobody else is even thinking about.

 

 

 

Poc, this is the horse's mouth speaking.

[poconoceancity]

I ski on 155's and 157's every day. Slalom skis are a blast, besides being useful.

Wow...things have really changed since 1999 when I bought my last pair of skis.

[toast21602]

Wow...things have really changed since 1999 when I bought my last pair of skis.

 

screw that. get twin tips and your life will be easier and you will enjoy skiing all over again.

[Ski]

160s are clown skis..get some 175s..and you'll have the most fun unless you want to race Slalom..and make a zillion turns..

Ha, with large radius skis, it's difficult to make small radius turns; with short radius skis, you can make any size turns. You spent too much time with Jeffy. I think Poc's priority is to be able to maneuver around with a little one.

[poconoceancity]

screw that. get twin tips and your life will be easier and you will enjoy skiing all over again.

I'm really looking forward to getting back on skis again, I think it will be like when I first got on a board. I loved it because it was something new.

[Ski]

Wow...things have really changed since 1999 when I bought my last pair of skis.

I had Kastle 213cm Super G skis, 201cm GS skis, and my Rossi 4S slalom skis were 193cm. High end 155cm slalom skis hold an edge better than older skis that were 40cm longer. No need to fear short skis. Now, I'm NOT suggesting an entry level or even intermediate short ski, which will be floppy and make you miserable at speed. But the ski that ski Head suggested, or a recreational slalom race ski will hold at 40mph.

 

I'm really looking forward to getting back on skis again, I think it will be like when I first got on a board. I loved it because it was something new.

[Papasteeze]

POC for what it is worth I don't believe that ski or ski head have spent any time on center mount twins at 175cm+ they only know what they know. All my race skis are gone. I now ride a stiff Volkl mid fat twin, 84cm under foot at 18m sidecut - 169cm traditional mount and it rips and turns. I am going to 90cm under foot with my next ski at 175cm + in a center mount. I am 165lbs 5'9"

[poconoceancity]

POC for what it is worth I don't believe that ski or ski head have spent any time on center mount twins at 175cm+ they only know what they know. All my race skis are gone. I now ride a stiff Volkl mid fat twin, 84cm under foot at 18m sidecut - 169cm traditional mount and it rips and turns. I am going to 90cm under foot with my next ski at 175cm + in a center mount. I am 165lbs 5'9"

Maybe I'll try both. Hell if I like them both, maybe I'll buy both.

[ski HEAD]

POC for what it is worth I don't believe that ski or ski head have spent any time on center mount twins at 175cm+ they only know what they know. All my race skis are gone. I now ride a stiff Volkl mid fat twin, 84cm under foot at 18m sidecut - 169cm traditional mount and it rips and turns. I am going to 90cm under foot with my next ski at 175cm + in a center mount. I am 165lbs 5'9"

 

What it comes down to is what you want to do on the mt. I, personally, do not like a ski wider than 70mm under foot. The ski is too slow edge to edge for me. I have skied for Atomic, Nordica, and Head as a rep. I skied all skis, its my job. It comes down to personal wants and needs. I need to ski the bumps, race course, powder, ice, everywhere all the time as/when needed. A 175+ ski with a 18 meter side cut does not appeal to me, fun to ski at times, but it does not do well in what I HAVE to do. POC wanted advice, I offered what I thought he should consider, its not gospel. He wanted info, I gave my 2 cents.

 

BTW skiing backwards and holding a childs ski tips is one of the worst ways to teach a child. Not only are you killing your back, you are limiting the childs gross motor development for skiing. By holding their skis they do not have to control the skis. If you use a tip holding device, the child still has to control the skis and look where they are going, not at the back of your head calling out instructions. With a harness and leash, you can control their speed and direction and it is more like skiing for the child and less like a controlled walk

[Ski]

POC for what it is worth I don't believe that ski or ski head have spent any time on center mount twins at 175cm+ they only know what they know. All my race skis are gone. I now ride a stiff Volkl mid fat twin, 84cm under foot at 18m sidecut - 169cm traditional mount and it rips and turns. I am going to 90cm under foot with my next ski at 175cm + in a center mount. I am 165lbs 5'9"

Go away, Rob. I had twin tips in the '70's. You sucked at racing and now "all you know" is filming preteen boys. And 5'9" Rob? You sure about that?

 

 

Eh, sorry to drag this down Poc and skiHead...

 

 

BTW skiing backwards and holding a childs ski tips is one of the worst ways to teach a child. Not only are you killing your back, you are limiting the childs gross motor development for skiing. By holding their skis they do not have to control the skis. If you use a tip holding device, the child still has to control the skis and look where they are going, not at the back of your head calling out instructions. With a harness and leash, you can control their speed and direction and it is more like skiing for the child and less like a controlled walk

 

I couldn't say it better.

 

Uh, didn't I see a tiny little grom of yours doing a gnarly face plant on a diamond Sunday? But he got up

[Papasteeze]

BTW skiing backwards and holding a childs ski tips is one of the worst ways to teach a child. Not only are you killing your back, you are limiting the childs gross motor development for skiing. By holding their skis they do not have to control the skis. If you use a tip holding device, the child still has to control the skis and look where they are going, not at the back of your head calling out instructions. With a harness and leash, you can control their speed and direction and it is more like skiing for the child and less like a controlled walk

 

 

I unhooked their tips and encouraged them to catch me. How do you know that teaching kids while skiing backwards is the worst way? Ever tried it?

 

Teachers teach from the front of the class not from the back. Don't they? Is there something that magically happens on the hill that allows them to hear and see you better as you have a leash tied to them. hahahahahah give me a break!

 

Jeez, are you guys that dense that you can't adapt basic teaching skills to the hill? Please take your antiquated ways and put them away for a awhile and try something new, you just might learn something. you and ski aren't that old and fuddy duddy, stuck in your superior ways, that nothing can be improved on? Are you?

 

If it were up to you guys, we would probably be on straight skis doing stem christies.

[ski HEAD]

Go away, Rob. I had twin tips in the '70's. You sucked at racing and now "all you know" is filming preteen boys. And 5'9" Rob? You sure about that?

 

Uh, didn't I see a tiny little grom of yours doing a gnarly face plant on a diamond Sunday? But he got up

 

Yea, he took a good one, at least he wasn't bleeding, mom had a fit, she's young but she'll ajust.

He went to the kindergarden nurse yesterday complaining that his chest hurt, the nurse was going on and on about a bug in the school until my wife had to but in and say he fell skiing. I was happy he jumped in there though, tough snow, he was good until the soft powder grabbed his leg. We went to boomer after that and skied until 3.

Edited February 26, 2008 by ski HEAD

[ski HEAD]

I unhooked their tips and encouraged them to catch me. How do you know that teaching kids while skiing backwards is the worst way? Ever tried it?

 

Teachers teach from the front of the class not from the back. Don't they? Is there something that magically happens on the hill that allows them to hear and see you better as you have a leash tied to them. hahahahahah give me a break!

 

Jeez, are you guys that dense that you can't adapt basic teaching skills to the hill? Please take your antiquated ways and put them away for a awhile and try something new, you just might learn something. you and ski aren't that old and fuddy duddy, stuck in your superior ways, that nothing can be improved on? Are you?

 

If it were up to you guys, we would probably be on straight skis doing stem christies.

 

All I have to say to this one is, you don't know that you don't know, in fact, I know for a fact, that i forgot more about ski teaching that you will ever know.

 

Besides teaching your kids, exactly how many people did you teach how to ski, and if you did how successful were you? And just for curosity, what credentials or certifications do you bring to make the statement that I don't know what I am doing?

[mbike-ski]

c'mon fellas grow up....wtf

 

anyway, fwiw i taught my son (the youngest of 3 and the only credentials i have..) on my ixrc 1100's which are have the same dims as the i800 that skiHEAD talks about and they were were great....but....having since gotten the fischer riu twins which are softer and center mounted i would definatley would have and still do choose the twins when skiing with the kids, easier to butter around on (=more fun for you and the kids) and better handling at the slower speeds. i assume the shorter turnier SL skis would do the same thing though.

 

got this link emailed to me today http://www.skis.com/category/Ski_Skis_Kids_Kids+Skis 50% off kids skis this week

[poconoceancity]

Thanks to everyone for replying...I'm going to look at some skis for my daughter and I this weekend. If anyone comes across any deals on or off line please let me know.

[Ski]

I unhooked their tips and encouraged them to catch me. How do you know that teaching kids while skiing backwards is the worst way? Ever tried it?

 

Teachers teach from the front of the class not from the back. Don't they? Is there something that magically happens on the hill that allows them to hear and see you better as you have a leash tied to them. hahahahahah give me a break!

 

Jeez, are you guys that dense that you can't adapt basic teaching skills to the hill? Please take your antiquated ways and put them away for a awhile and try something new, you just might learn something. you and ski aren't that old and fuddy duddy, stuck in your superior ways, that nothing can be improved on? Are you?

 

If it were up to you guys, we would probably be on straight skis doing stem christies.

 

Rob, it's just like how you bitched about how you knew more about racing technique than the CB USSA coaches. Look how far it got you by kneeling down in front of Gary Dranow? Your kid didn't trust his CAT team coaches because of you, fell behind the other top racers, then quit in frustration. Although it was a great relief to them to see you go.

 

At some point you need to realize other people know more than you. Narcissism is a tough illness, but there are medications.

 

Ski Head gave you some technical and some logical reasons why skiing hunched over backwards isn't the best way to teach kids. I imagine he's taught over 5,000 kids to ski, while you've taught two--and one has already quit.

 

As for me, I've taught a few hundred. And it is a fact that skiing a shorter ski makes it easier.

 

And, yes, there is something magical for a kid using a leash. The adult is turning the kid's hips, which, hey, just happens to be the basis for your buddy Dranow's entire waist steering business. Go figure that the one time his thesis is useful, he has you to say it's bullshit. Hahahahaha!

 

Now, it's completely fine for any parent to go out and teach their kid by skiing backwards on long twin tips. Hey, it's a parent out teaching their kid to ski! Woo Hoo! They'll struggle and it's certainly doing it the hard way, but the important thing is that they are doing it.

 

But Poc is family here and he asked for the best way. And he was lucky enough to get some advice from the someone who I consider to be one of the best technical skiers I've ever met.

[Ski]

Thanks to everyone for replying...I'm going to look at some skis for my daughter and I this weekend. If anyone comes across any deals on or off line please let me know.

 

Sweet ski, Poc:

 

eBay Head

 

 

 

Softer ski:

 

Ski K2

 

 

Great binding at half price:

 

Atomic binding

[method9455]

I don't remember exactly how my dad taught me to ski but I do know that he didn't use a leash at any point. I think actually we rented skis when I was like 3 or 4? but started in the backyard, we have about a 40' hill that was enough to do a few turns while he was on foot. Then we went to the local sledding hill and did more turns, before moving up to a "real" hill (Split Rock/Cragimeaur - both gone now ironically). The thing I like about that approach is that you can start the kid off with really short sessions. A lot of kids get burnt out on a long day, we could go outside for an hour or two here and there and it was something to do instead of sledding, and then when I was 4 or 5 we started going to a place with a lift.

 

I've taught about 20~30 people how to snowboard but all from teenager and older and I find there is a huge range of how people learn, doesn't help me add much here but it does make me think the whole "there is a right way and a wrong way to learn" argument is silly either way. I'm not a huge fan of leashes, I think they are a hazard. For the same reason that you want to be behind the kid (to stop an out of control skier or snowboarder from hitting them), it seems dumb to have a leash. Now instead of hitting a tiny target if a person hits you, the kid, or this giant leash, your kid is going down. I'd rather be right behind doing the pole across their chest thing at first, and then probably slightly in front leading, I think the bigger danger between someone hitting them or them getting out of control and hitting something is your kid getting out of control and hitting something. Generally the out of control people are there later on the weekends, we used to always go early and leave by 11 or so to avoid the crowds and keep the day short.

 

As for skis for you, if you are going back I would definately go shorter like ski said, but honestly short and twin tip might be the best combo. It is difficult to believe that you will find a short twin tip constraining if you are just going back and planning to be with your kids. The twins are fatter so they are more stable, shorter is easier to handle, and if you do end up skiing backwards they are great for that. But as Ski said almost all skis are twins now to some extent - and you generally will pay more for twin tips because the bindings are bought separately, most stores mark down the skis at the end of the year but not bindings as much, so if you are buying something at a sale you will get a better deal on a ski with integrated bindings. Even mid winter I found twin tip setups to be more expensive for most people by the time you add in a good binding.

 

As for boots, definately give Tecnica's a try. Of the hundreds of ski boots I've sold, I am sure the largest group is Tecnica, they are incredibly comfortable. Comparing my K2 T1's (Snowboard boot) to my Tecnica Vento 10s (ski boot) it is even, if not more comfortable in the ski boots.

[Papasteeze]

But Poc is family here and he asked for the best way. And he was lucky enough to get some advice from the someone who I consider to be one of the best technical skiers I've ever met.

 

Is that really saying something? do you believe that you can't teach and old dog a new trick too? You think your way is the only right way and that anyone elses way, advice or opinon is wrong.

 

Funny how you can so angry over something that is supposed to be fun. You and your type are the reason ridge doesn't race. For the record, he doesn't like wasting a whole day in spandex for (2) 50 second runs and I can't say I blame him. I think it is great that some kids are into it, but I totally respect why he isn't.

 

Ask Ridge why he doesn't race. he will tell you straight up. Is skiing fun for you Ski? Doesn't seem like it.

 

Leashing kids and barking orders from behind is so you! Keep the faith man!

[toast21602]

always a fucking argument. always.

[Papasteeze]

always a fucking argument. always.

 

It's wierd how guys who are supposedly so into the snow get so ignorant about people who have opinions different than thiers. I think leashes are grea,t everyone should try them if they don't work, you might consider trying something that I had better success with it might work. OMG a new idea. oh nooooooooo!

 

but oh no......... hahahahaahah the blasphemy... OMG the USSA certified level 67 with 30 years will roll over in their graves. hahahahaah I bet these are the same guys who don't want to see skiers in the olympic pipe because they don't have the FIS points from 25 countries. hahahahaah

[toast21602]

It's wierd how guys who are supposedly so into the snow get so ignorant about people who have opinions different than thiers. I think leashes are grea,t everyone should try them if they don't work, you might consider trying something that I had better success with it might work. OMG a new idea. oh nooooooooo!

 

but oh no......... hahahahaahah the blasphemy... OMG the USSA certified level 67 with 30 years will roll over in their graves. hahahahaah I bet these are the same guys who don't want to see skiers in the olympic pipe because they don't have the FIS points from 25 countries. hahahahaah

 

haha. if it were up to me, i would eliminate all parabolic skis and go right back to the good ole' days when skiing was the best on 220cm straight skis. and you know you would too.

[Ski]

Is that really saying something? do you believe that you can't teach and old dog a new trick too? You think your way is the only right way and that anyone elses way, advice or opinon is wrong.

 

Funny how you can so angry over something that is supposed to be fun. You and your type are the reason ridge doesn't race. For the record, he doesn't like wasting a whole day in spandex for (2) 50 second runs and I can't say I blame him. I think it is great that some kids are into it, but I totally respect why he isn't.

 

Ask Ridge why he doesn't race. he will tell you straight up. Is skiing fun for you Ski? Doesn't seem like it.

 

Leashing kids and barking orders from behind is so you! Keep the faith man!

 

Ridge told his teammates and two coaches he was sick of his "dickhead father". Maybe everyone else is a liar, though, right? Maybe you and your fantasy world of Atomic sponsorships for NASTAR racers are the honest ones. Your son isn't rebelling against me by quitting, you dumbass---he's rebelling against YOU.

 

Method: snowboarders and jibbers on this site have bashed leashes for years---and mostly for good reason. I've read quite a few posts about parents leading their kids down the middle of pipes on leashes. Of course leashes will get a bad rap. But there's no difference when six snowboarders are sitting across a black diamond breakover IN MY WAY. Does that make snowboarding wrong? Most people don't uses leashes correctly. They don't join PASR or Alpinezone or their local ski school or wherever and ask how to use them. The purpose of a leash isn't really to be a brake for the kid---it's a turning aid. Go out west to some hardcore hills like Telluride and watch some locals teaching their kids on leashes. I taught skiing at a couple of mountains and can tell you they are far and away the best training aid.

 

People in their late 40s should not be saying OMG...FYI.

How 'bout jea?

[toast21602]

How 'bout jea?

 

using that is encouraged.